China's former Olympic and world champion Kong Linghui has failed his bid for the head coach post of the ping pong-mania country's national women's team.

Shi Zhihao (L) and Kong Linghui. [China Daily]

Shi Zhihao, who led the Chinese women's team to a double victory in last August's Beijing Olympic Games, resumed his reign for a second spell over the all-winning squad.

The 49-year-old got a majority of votes late last month, while Liu Guoliang kept in his role as the sole candidate for the men's side, announced the Table Tennis and Badminton Administrative Center (TTBAC) of China here on Monday.

Both Shi and Liu's contracts run to the end of 2010 London Olympic Games.

Kong Linghui, former "Grand Slam" winner who turned to a member of the national team's coach staff, was the only other one besides Shi to have declared his candidateship on Nov. 25.

"I appreciated Kong's bid of being willing to take the commitment," said Shi after the TTBAC chief Liu Fengyan announced his signing. "I think I'm selected between Kong and me because I'm better experienced."

Shi approved Kong's improvement during his short-term coaching career, and promised to cooperate well with Kong if the latter earns a role among the first team coaching staff.

"I rate Kong a very promising one among the young generation of coaches and I would like to do all I can to help Kong better adapt to his post," said Shi.

The 33-year-old Kong had not take the bid for national post as a must-win competition, rather than an attempt for leadership.

"I take it as a fresh experience and a chance for myself to get improved, rather than a merely competition ready-to-win," he said when making his candidate speech.

The "Prince of Table Tennis" in China had rated his chance low despite an unprecedented high support from fans and media, adding that he would stay among the national team staff if failing the head coach run.

"Shi has been in a very successful three-year charge, and his experience and reputation as a coach is far beyond me," Kong said.

"He's definitely the one more promising between us and to carry out his second spell, while I'm just younger and dare to try, if we see that as a good point," added the 33-year-old.

The coaching rookie, who's appointed assistant coach for the national side shortly after announcing his retirement late in 2006, has been backed by many, thanks to his achievement in both player and coach career so far.

"Kong is one of the greatest ever table tennis players in the world, and that explains everything, like why he's convincing and how's I improved so well," had once said Yao Yan, one of Kong's in-charged players.

Kong had capped a glittering career by joining Sweden's Jan-Ove Waldner and former teammate Liu Guoliang to be one of the world's Grand Slam winners of Olympics, world championships and World Cup.

He broke into the Chinese national team in 1991 and took a singles gold at the 1995 world championships in Tianjin at the age of 19.

The ping pong great paired with Liu Guoliang to win Olympic doubles gold the following year at Atlanta and became the singles Olympic champion at the Sydney 2000 Games.

As Liu had quit earlier and became the youngest ever head coach for China's men's team, Kong stayed longer as a player before he retired and came to assist Liu to take care of the men's squad.

Many had been expecting the Twin Stars to come jointly again, just like what they'd done as players.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2008)